Linux vs Microsoft
-
Created: Wednesday, 02 July 2014 12:08
It's interesting that for years these types of debates continue. These types of debates are very similar to the Chevy versus Ford arguments. While I may not be a Ford fan, I do think the Linux versus Microsoft debate is driven by so may factors. In an age where technological advancements are increasingly starting from people's living-rooms, cost tends to be a huge factor. For an individual to setup a development environment in their home can become expensive. For a business that cares more about up-time and support, cost is just a part of doing business.
There was a time where I hated Linux. There are so many distributions that it was hard to pick one. It also seemed that regardless if you were using a GUI or not, some elementary tasks needed to be done via the terminal. Seasoned veterans of Linux will say that may of these tasks are easy and will only take them a few seconds. Regardless of how much time it takes, when you are under the gun to knock out dozens of tasks (like in some businesses), every second saved is a second that can be used on other tasks. Not to mention that in the off chance something goes wrong, there is no phone number you can call for technical support. Most of your support comes from forums and sometimes vague documentation supplied with the applications.
Since I grew up in a house that used Microsoft, initially it was hard to use anything else. In a business setting, I quickly learned how valuable paying for support was. When you have your SharePoint down, users can't print, new accounts need to be provisioned, and new updates and patches need to be deployed, it becomes a stressful environment. I do understand there are many administrative tasks that need to be done via the command prompt, similar to Linux, but at least with Microsoft you have more options. Having the ability to pick up the phone or sent a quick email for problems that are beyond your level of understanding is invaluable. While I do understand that many businesses or individuals can not afford some of the software and support that comes with Microsoft products. My opinion is that your paying for a supported and standard platform that will allow you to easily integrate with the rest of the world. If cost is an issue, you mix your environment.
By mixing your environment, you are able to achieve the best of both worlds at a reduced cost. My thinking is that you use Linux and OpenSource tools for thing like a NAS, SANS, FTP or Web server. Critical systems like Domain Controllers, Application servers or any service that would utilize single-sign-on, I prefer Microsoft.
